by Jo Barnes | photos courtesy Highbank Farms –
Sunflowers. We all know what they look like, right? They are tall with yellow petals and big round centres … hold on, not so fast! As it turns out, readers, this couldn’t be farther from the truth!
As Dave and Cheryl Sawyer, owners of Highbank Farms in Central Saanich, will tell you, when it comes to sunflowers, they come in an incredible variety of colours, shapes and sizes, and each species is attractive and appealing in its own way. “As well as different yellow varieties, we grow many types and colours of sunflowers including ruby red, plum, white nite, and white lite,” shares Dave. Adds Cheryl: “We also have teddy bear sunflowers which the kids love. These flowers are soft and fluffy like a teddy bear.”
The 11-acre farm, named for its location, sits high up on a bank overlooking the Hunt Valley on one side and Haro Strait on the other. “We had an opportunity to buy this farm on the Peninsula. It was an acreage we had been eyeing for 25 years,” says Dave.
The Central Saanich farm location also appealed because of family history. “I have a connection to this area. My grandparents and great grandparents were in the Brentwood Bay area in the 1930s and 1940s. My grandfather was the postmaster there,” relates Dave.
The couple bought the property and began their farm venture at a challenging time, but their hard work brought a harvest. “We started farming here at the beginning of Covid,” remarks Dave. “The first two years we sold sunflowers to florists in town and ran a Sunflower Maze.”
Sunflowers appealed to the farming couple due to the flower’s appearance and likeability by customers. “People really like these flowers. Sunflowers make them feel good,” says Dave. “They like to walk between the rows of sunflowers, enjoy the bees around, and the serenity of it all.”
Adds Cheryl, with a big smile: “The sunflower is so beautiful. It’s a happy plant.”
A unique feature of these flowers is the way they grow and flourish. “The sunflower’s movement is interesting. They reach towards the sun,” says Dave.
Most of us believe the flower of these plants turns towards the sun, but that’s not exactly what happens. Known as heliotropism, from the Greek words “helio” meaning sun and “tropos” meaning change or turning, the sunflower exhibits a tendency to move towards the sun. Scientific studies have shown that during the night, the west side of the stem grows, allowing the head of the sunflower to bend towards the east. Then in the day, the east side of the stem grows, which causes a leaning to the west with the sun.
In addition, as Dave relates, sunflowers are environmentally helpful because they attract pollinators and support wildlife. “Sunflowers attract a large variety of bees, so they’re beneficial for pollination. It looks like water droplets on top of the flower. This is the pollen and syrup. The bees love it. Many seeds form under the flower core, and the birds feed on them.”
To ensure a steady harvest, sunflower planting at the farm is staggered one week apart, resulting in a harvest from the end of July to Thanksgiving.
Specific care and attention are required early on in the cycle of growing. “There is always a risk after planting to achieve good germination,” relates Dave. “Heavy rains or excessive weeds can impact the germination process. We need to keep up and manage soil moisture levels too. Sunflowers grow in a variety of soils, but it should be well drained.”
Currently, the couple is excited to finally build a new home on the property. Each year they have planted several hundred varieties of trees: Douglas fir, grand fir, noble fir, Fraser fir and concolor fir. Once matured, these trees will be made available during the Christmas season. Dave shares that there is a brand-new Sunflower Walk that is planned for the 2025 season. “The sunflower walk will be ready for visitors next year, and we hope to be available as a wedding venue. This year, in the summer, we are open for anyone wanting to just take a walk in the sunflower fields, take photos or buy flowers onsite,” says Dave.
Due to ongoing building and the needs of the farm, those wishing to visit are asked to contact the farm ahead of time through their website https://highbankfarms.com.
For the Sawyers, growing sunflowers and sharing them with others is rewarding and sometimes very personal.
“A lady came to visit one day. She shared with me that her son had passed away and his favourite flower was the sunflower,” says Cheryl. “She walked around the rows of flowers quietly remembering him. It was very special.”
They grow high in the fields, reach sunward, and their colours and beauty draw us in immediately. As Dave and Cheryl have discovered, no matter the colour of their petals and the heights they reach, sunflowers will always make an impression.
